CORE ignoring facts about special election

In his letter to the editor in last week’s Independent (“Edgewood election will give recall power to voters,” June 19-25), Jerry Powers reminded me of the famous “Big Lie” propaganda technique employed in Europe during the 1930s. It went something like this, “tell a big enough lie, long enough and loud enough and soon it will be thought of as the truth.” In his letter last week, Powers once again ignores the facts about the events of March, April and May which lead up to the call for a special election to be held in August. For an honest account about those events I would direct you instead to a letter published June 12 by Councilor Linda Holle in The Independent under the title, “Edgewood and the special election slated Aug. 24.” Powers goes on to claim that I found some sort of legal loophole which has allowed me to “wiggle” out of an election this November. When the Secretary of State’s office issued an opinion which was favorable to Powers, he and his cohorts at CORE waved that letter all over social media, but when that same Secretary of State issued another opinion favorable to myself and several members of the Council, Powers grumbles about a “legal loophole.” Following the method of the “Big Lie,” Powers and his friends at EPCOR have laid down one false allegation after another in an attempt to get the voters of Edgewood riled up in such a way that they go to the polls in August and vote against their own best interests. What Powers is not telling you is that instead of increasing your voice in town government, his cockamamie idea will reduce it. For those of you who want to know what the August 24 special election is costing the Town of Edgewood, I can tell you that between the money spent on legal fees sorting out various aspects of the special election during March, April and May, a response to the unnecessary Writ of Mandamus filed by Councilors Jaramillo and Abraham, as well as the deposit that must be paid to the Santa Fe County Clerk prior to the election, plus whatever other fees her office will require when the election has been completed, we are now looking at well over $30,000.00 dollars. At this rate Powers and his cohorts, by promising special election after special election, will nickel and dime the Town into bankruptcy. I don't think this is really about me, and I know for sure it isn't about giving voters in Edgewood more say in who is elected. It looks more like an all-out attempt by EPCOR and Powers to prevent another Bullhead City. John Bassett Mayor, Town of Edgewood